5.  The applicant was born in 1934 and lives in Sombor, Serbia.
6.  On 13 August 2003 the applicant, an animal welfare activist, joined in a rescue operation of stray dogs from a dog pound in Sombor. Following a fight between the applicant and M.M., the police arrested the applicant. He spent the night at the Sombor Police Station.
7.  On 14 August 2003 the police lodged a criminal complaint against the applicant accusing him of causing actual bodily harm to M.M. The applicant was taken to the investigating judge. He complained that he had been kicked and punched at the Sombor Police Station. The judge recorded injuries on the left auricle and left eye, but took no action in that regard. The applicant was then released. Later that day he obtained a medical certificate indicating injuries on his left auricle and left eye.
8.  On 27 August 2003 the applicant lodged a criminal complaint against L.J. and another, unidentified, police officer who had been on duty at the material time (it later turned out that it was Z.K.).
9.  On 29 August 2003 the public prosecutor directed the Sombor Police Station to take statements from the applicant and the police officers who had been on duty on the night of 13/14 August 2003. On 11 September 2003 one of the officers belonging to that unit questioned the applicant. The applicant repeated what he had said to the investigating judge on 14 August 2003. On the same day, L.J., Z.K. and three other police officers from their unit made written statements. They stated that the applicant had been offensive but that no force had been used against him.
10.  On 13 October 2003 the investigating judge took statements from the applicant, L.J., Z.K. and four other police officers from their unit. They all repeated what they had stated on 11 September 2003. No questions were put to them. On 21 October 2003 the investigating judge heard a medical expert who stated that the applicant’s injuries had most likely been caused by three punches. The investigating judge again did not put any questions.
11.  On 4 November 2003 the public prosecutor decided not to prosecute as there remained uncertainty as to whether the applicant had sustained his injuries during the fight between him and M.M. or at the police station.
12.  On 14 November 2003 the applicant notified the Sombor Municipal Court that he intended to take over the prosecution, but he formally started a subsidiary prosecution against L.J. and Z.K., by lodging a bill of indictment, on 13 April 2004.
13.  The Sombor Municipal Court held four hearings in this case: on 12 January 2005, 27 May 2005, 17 October 2005 and 1 February 2006. It heard the applicant, the defendants, seven other officers from their unit, a medical expert, M.M. and seven other witnesses. One of the defendants and several other police officers from his unit maintained that the applicant had arrived at the station with facial injuries. In contrast, M.M. and several witnesses to his fight with the applicant stated that no injuries had been sustained by the applicant during that fight.
14.  On 1 February 2006 the Sombor Municipal Court acquitted L.J. and Z.K. as there remained uncertainty as to whether the applicant had sustained his injuries during the fight between him and M.M. or at the police station. On 29 December 2006 the Sombor District Court upheld that judgment.
15.  On 24 June 2008 the Sombor Municipal Court found the applicant guilty of causing actual bodily harm to M.M. The applicant appealed and on 30 September 2009 the criminal proceedings against him were discontinued as statute-barred.
16.  No prosecution was instituted against M.M. with regard to the facial injuries allegedly sustained by the applicant during the fight between them.